Partnership Access Line Community Consultation Robert Hilt, MD Clinical Director Partnership Access Line, MDT Consults, and 2nd Opinion Consult Services in WA and WY Associate Professor of Psychiatry University of Washington OHSU Grand Rounds, June 4, 2013
Disclosures I have no financial conflicts of interest to disclose
Child Mental Health is a National Issue Access to care Quality of care Appropriate use of psychiatric medications Primary Care medical home a growing focus for kids
Why the Focus on Primary Care? 1 in 5 Primary Care Clinician (PCC) appointments are for a behavioral health complaint PCCs provide ~half of common mental disorder care PCCs prescribe the majority of psychotropic medications Nearly every child with a mental health issue has a PCC Like schools, a public mental health access point W Gardner and K Kelleher, 2000 New Freedom Commission, 2003
Not Enough Specialists to Meet Care Demands Nationwide shortage of child psychiatrists about 1 child psychiatrist for every 800 children with serious emotional disturbance (CGAS <50) OR: about 1 per 900 WA: about 1 per 1100 WY: about 1 per 1500 CR Thomas and C Holzer, 2006 DSHS report Dec 1, 2003 (youth SED rate 7%)
Our Similar Workforce Distributions Source: AACAP.org
Addressing the shortage Some increase in child psych trainees Not sufficient to resolve the shortage Even if more specialists, doesn t solve everything Families may resist use of specialist care ~60% mental health center no show rate for new referrals from PCC Rural access would be the last thing to improve Kelleher K 2000 WJ Kim, 2003
Working with Primary Care Safe and effective mental and physical health care requires collaboration and communication between child and adolescent psychiatrists and other medical professionals -Excerpt from Collaboration with Pediatric Medical Professionals Policy (2008)
Appropriateness of PCC providing the first tier of mental health services Not every headache requires a neurologist Goal is a system where: PCP treats majority of the less complicated cases Specialists more available to treat the more complicated children and families
Primary Care Clinician s Advantages No Stigma Family has high level of trust/respect PCC is familiar with family and past development Location accessible to family Referral away often translates to lack of care MM McKay, J Stoewe, et al, 1998
Barriers to PCC Providing MH Services Lack of time Lack of comfort, training, expertise Insufficient reimbursement Lack of knowledge about local resources Lack of local mental health specialists Insufficient referral feedback or shared decision making with specialists Psychiatry gets referred to as the black hole AAP Task Force on Mental Health Chapter Action Kit, 2007
Effective Collaboration Components PCC has timely access to consultation Assistance available when it is needed, not weeks later Care coordination assistance to help family access services, and help PCC and psychiatrist to connect Access to traditional psychiatric services PCC should not be expected to be the lead ongoing provider for children with complex mental health needs PCC gets education on mental health care case based learning, or other means AACAP Guide to Collaboration (2010)
Advantages of Telephone Consultations Just in time processing offer assistance only when PCC wants it Create teachable moments problem based learning on provider s own patient Can reach a large audience easily Match intervention to level of primary care provider engagement call as often as you want Even if not committed to MH training, still want to help own patient
Massachusetts Example Statewide, insurance blind and generously funded system 6 regional, separate hotlines Business hour availability Each hotline has its own: child psychiatrists MSWs administrative assistants
Creating our Phone Consult Service Created a realistic service proposal Building alliances Pediatricians Legislators and staff Medicaid administrators Hospital government relations Timing Bill passed creating the pilot program Later continued as a Medicaid program
Program Development in WA Law passed in April 2007 Contract signed to provide the new service in March 2008 Initial plan was for 2 programs: Learning collaborative later discontinued due to enrollment problems Partnership Access Line
PCC Survey Re-confirmed our Impressions Primary Care Provider BASELINE Needs Assessment (253 respondents) With existing resources I am usually able to meet the needs of children with psychiatric problems Agree or Strongly Agree 23% For my MEDICAID patients I can find a psychiatrist when needed 21% For my PRIVATE INSURANCE patients I can find a psychiatrist when needed. 38%
Factors in the Planning Process Rural versus urban needs Variations in prescribing patterns Foster Care population concentrations
How to do more with less $? Washington State $ 0.38 per child covered life/yr $2.26 per child covered life/yr
PAL Consult Process PCP calls PAL consult team with a mental health question on any patient (8AM-5PM) PAL CAP provides a rapid access phone consult PAL CAP EMR entered advice is faxed to PCP (by next day) PAL rapid televideo consult scheduled if both A) desired by PCP B) Medicaid child PAL SW offers resource assistance or a phone consult (by PCP or CAP request) Same day PCP feedback, then a dictated note PCP=primary care provider PAL=Partnership Access Line CAP=child & adolescent psychiatrist SW=social work EMR=electronic medical record
Telemedicine Equipment
Other Aspects of PAL Services Free psychiatric care education conferences 4 times a year in WA 3 times a year in WY Free, expert reviewed care guide At palforkids.org and wyomingpal.org Quarterly fidelity audits and team consult approach to ensure advice is consistent
Follow Up Notes from PAL Calls
PAL was the 2 nd statewide child mental health consult service created (after MCPAP) Now 24 states with some version of PCC consults
PAL Program Lessons Learned Lesson 1: PCPs manage very complex issues in rural areas Usually call PAL at a point of crisis in care Complex problems ~2/3 rd with Serious Emotional Disturbance (CGAS < 50) ~3 MH related problems per patient Rural PCPs often don t feel they need/want that full consult appointment but DO want to know it is available See Hilt et al., Feb 2013, JAMA Pediatrics
PAL Program Lessons Learned Lesson 2: Despite high complexity, care often can remain in the medical home ~2/3 of the time, we recommended care to remain with the PCP (± a therapist) Lesson 3: Care coordination is necessary component ~½ of all callers receive PAL Social Work assistance Connect to therapists and other resources Lesson 4: PAL program impacts different part of care system than Second Opinion Reviews minimal patient overlap
PAL Program Lessons Learned Lesson 5: Actually recruiting providers to use the service is a challenge in rural, very underserved areas i.e. impractical to set up lunchtime meetings to meet all PCPs CME meetings and word of mouth among colleagues recruit participants/ mailings not so great
PAL Program Lessons Learned Lesson 6: A small virtual team can work 2 PAL offices, 300 miles apart, televideo connected Using 2 child psychiatrist FTEs and 2 MSW to serve a 1.7 million child region
PAL Program Lessons Learned Lesson 7: PCPs that use the service love it (though not everyone will use it) Very positive PAL feedback survey data after the calls Increased the PCP s mental health care skills Helped the PCP to manage their patient s care More PAL contacts higher feedback survey scores
PAL Program Lessons Learned Lesson 8: Consults steer kids into more psychosocial services (EBP therapies) ~9/10 calls recommend new psychosocial treatments CBT and behavioral therapy recommendations and referral assistance Significant increase in foster children utilizing psychotherapy appointments after the PAL call (WA FFS Medicaid data)
PAL Program Lessons Learned Lesson 9: If open the door to accepting all calls, Medicaid issues still predominate ~2/3 of calls about Medicaid kids Lesson 10: PCPs usually call because they seek medication advice ~½ PAL recommended to start a medication ~¼ PAL recommended to stop a medication
PAL Program Lessons Learned Lesson 11: Do QI evaluations rather than a full IRB submitted process Lesson 12: If grow the program size large enough, service delivery improves 2 docs on duty (or more) creates great flexibility Med review and PAL can support each other Two states working together Greatly helped overall service responsiveness
Medco Health Solutions Report Rutgers 16 state study Rubin D et al 2012 Baseline Prescription Rates Rising All psychiatric prescribing to U.S. children increased by ~20% from 2001 to 2010 2004 2007 Medicaid antipsychotic use 10% Foster Care had larger increases (2002-2007) Washington: antipsychotic use by 68% Wyoming: antipsychotic use by 45%
WA Medicaid identified: High, rising expenses for child MH drugs Outlier prescribing on child MH drugs Including unsafe regimens
WA Medication Reviews State workgroup decided on review flags Prescription arriving at pharmacy would trigger review if beyond a threshold Examples: methylphenidate (Ritalin) at >120mg/day dextroamphetamine at >60mg/day
System of Med Reviews
Medication Review Evolution Washington ADHD medication reviews started 2006 Antipsychotic medication reviews started 2009 Reviews for >5 psych meds, and >2 AAP s for >60 days started 2012 Wyoming ADHD and antipsychotic med reviews started 2011 >2000 reviews completed since 2006
Selected Lessons from Running a Medication Review Program Lesson 1: Prescriber s written rationale is usually insufficient to support an authorization doc-to-doc reviews for better communication more able to discuss best practices Lesson 2: If a stop at the pharmacy, rapid processing time is vital Delays undermine collaboration, can interfere with best patient care
Running a Medication Review Program Lesson 3: Delivering a consistent message is a major challenge Initial multi-center design had to be abandoned Audits kept finding diverging approaches Collaborative/educational approach more valued than just approve vs. deny Found a review leader needs to be regularly present Quarterly audits ensure consistency
Running a Medication Review Program Lesson 4: Even high risk regimens can be fiercely defended i.e. methylphenidate 450mg, or using 9 medications Lesson 5: You can t please everyone Second Opinion program feedback surveys: Review was useful 53% of the time Review was not useful 27% of the time (other s reported a neutral opinion)
Running a Medication Review Program Lesson 6: Faculty resistance is a factor Some senior faculty may refuse to do it Lesson 7: No one is above the law Even the reviewers get reviewed Lesson 8: Consultant flexible availability is a challenge Need to pair this activity with some other program that provides flexible timing
Existence of Review System Alone changes practice For ADHD prescriptions altered after state s request is made for a 2 nd opinion review: 50% were changed prior to the scheduled review Hawthorne effect 28% were denied due to prescriber non-response 20% altered due to the 2 nd opinion reviewer s recommendation to deny the prescription Remaining 2% altered later Thompson J. et al, 2009
To improve dependent child care planning through telemedicine
Challenges per Wyoming DOH Foster care and CHINS children have MH placement plans made at local court hearings MDT Evaluations Historically difficult to arrange mental health evaluations prior to court s clinical placement Sometimes placed long term in order to obtain an assessment Concerns about the appropriateness of many out of home mental health placements Source: Dr. Jim Bush with DOH
Looking for Access Wyoming has shortage of child/adolescent psychiatrists (now 6 total) In-state child psychiatrists reported having no evaluation capacity for the rapid MDT hearing process We had a University based consulting team with telemedicine experience, so Source: Dr. Jim Bush with DOH
MDT Psychiatric Consult Process: goal of speed and quality 1) DFS case worker or GAL faxes an appointment request --Collateral data documents for the consultant 2) Coordinator sets up appointment, usually within 1 week 3) Case worker and consultant speak for ~30min prior to meeting patient 4) Televideo consult appointment in local DFS office --With caregiver, when possible 5) Final opinion report dictated by the next day
What the MDT Gets 6-8 page report Gestalt impression, diagnoses, and general care recommendations We describe child s care needs, and the local team decides where that can best happen Judge and the MDT remain the final arbiter of the placement plan Our role, and acceptance of it, took a lot of work and time to develop
What we found by doing these televideo consultations Children often had: Unrecognized problems (i.e. anxiety) High complexity (i.e. mean of 4 diagnoses per child) Frequent desire by teams for inpatient placements ~80% of our initial referrals Less frequently found need for inpatient placements ~25% of our initial referrals Translates to more care within community & financial savings
MDT Psychiatric Consult Feedback Initially: local team wariness about the program Now the DFS case workers praise the service Encouraging appropriate use of local services
Questions? Contact info: Robert.hilt@seattlechildrens.org Note: All programs described were co-developed with WA and WY Medicaid divisions, the support of Dr. Jim Bush and Dr. Jeff Thompson